Apparatus for reclaiming contaminated oils



Nov. 17, 1931. H H, MORETON APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING CONTAMINATED oILs Filed Feb. 2, `1928 2 SheeQs-Sheet l amd Wmv

Nov. 17, 1931. H. Hy MORETON APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING CONTAMINATED OILS I 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb.

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Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY H. MORETON, 0F SANTA MONICA,

CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TC O. B. ENGLISCH, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ANI) ONE-THIRD T0 CHARLES F. CRAIG, OF

LCS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING- CONTAMINATED OILS Application led February 2, 1923. Serial No. 251,416.

This invention is an apparatus for so treating crank case oils, and otherv contaminated oils, as to ellectively remove the impurities therefrom and to render said oils t for further use.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an automatically operated apparatus for supplying the oil to be treated7 to a sediment precipitating chamber. A further object is to provide means for heating the oil und .means governed by the temperature of the oil for controlling delivery thereof to the precipitating chamber. A further object is to provide a simple form of apparatus for transferring the treated oil from the precipiuitingchamber to a suitable filtering apparatus. and to provide further means automatically controlled by the flow of oil, to regulate the operation of the ilterincr apparatus.

The invention will be hereinafter fully Set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims. y

In the accompanying drawings Figrure l a diagrammatic view, partly in .veertien illuetratinv1 a form of apparatus for .rryiugr ou? the inweniff, it heing underlstooii however.. that the invention is not limited to this particular apparatus., Figure 2 is. a sectional view illustrating the thermostat meti-ol ai'iparatus. Figure 3 is a detail View illustrating' a. i'orni of filter. Figure 4 is -a `wctional riff-iv illustrating a slight modification of the means for removing the sludge.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the main or supply tout; 'in which the oil to he treated is initially placed so that it I' be supplied to the rest of the illustrated api: ratus in carrying out the steps of the method. The inni: 1U is provided with an outlet pipe 11 leruli to n .dont chamber 1Q, a cock 1E heinfr f lV l to' control the outflow of the oil iff tant', to the float chamber. l'iocaird "i ciiianiher isa float 14, "which opN a vali/'e 1 5, controlling the "l in the :float chamber to a heat- J-7 through pipe 17. Said provided With a sediment out-let 18, and with a gage lglass 19.

T he heating chaniher consists of a troughlilre easing in which the oil may be heated in lier any desired manner, but it is preferred to employ one or more electrical heatingv elements, conventionally illustrated at 19a supported by the head 20, andextending longitudinally of the casing at a level to be submerged in the oil. Current may be supplied to the heaterfrom a suitable source of electricity, in any desired or Well known manner. The trough is open at its top, but in order to carry off such gasoline or similar volatile constituents as may be driven olf by the heat, a hood 21 is supported over the trough so as to direct said constituents to a flue 22 leading to a suitable condenser, not shown. The heaterl element 19a may be constructed to raise the temperature of the oil to any desired degree, preferabl not exceedin 300 degrees Fahrenheit. It as been found in practice that if the oil is heated to a temperature of approximately 260 degrees Fahrenheit, and maintained at that temperature for a short time, the gasoline and other similar volatile content will be fully driven olf, because the combination of gasoline and the like with the oil appears to be merely a mechanical mixture 4 'i is readily hreilien up at the named temperature.

In order that the flow of the oil through the l'ieatiug chamber may be cintrolled so as to subject it to the desired heating temperature for a period long enough 'to insure sepa.- ration of the gasoline and the like, thermostatic valve. V is provided, Said valve consiste of a tube. 25 of brass or similar metal, mourned in. a husl'iing Q6, screwed into an end f VWall of the. chamber 16, so as to submerge the tulfe hin the oil contained 'Within the chamher. Said tube is provided with perforations 27 to permit oil to flow into the tube, and the outer end of the tube is closed by a cap 28, provided with an outlet opening 29. The flow of oil through said opening is controllo," hy means of a rod 3() of steel or other desired metal having a different coefficient of expansion from that of the tube 25, said rod. being supported at its inner end by the inner end of the tube, as indicated at 31. It is to be understood that While the oil is cold 0r below the temperature for which the thermostat is set, the opening 29 is closed by the rod 30 in a manner to prevent the outflow of oil from said heating chamber. As soon as the temperature of the oil rises to the desired degree, however, the rod is withdrawn from the^o ening 29 and the oil is free to flow theret rough. The cap 28 has a threaded engagement with the end of tube 25, so that careous cement is mixed with the oil and the easily handle-d and contents of the tank 'allowed to settle. It is preferred to use finely powdered gypsum for this purpose because this material is more a pears to have a very strong afiinity for car on particles and other mechanical impurities'suspended in the oil, but other calcareous cements such as Portland cement and natural cement, for instance, will possess to some degree this same attraction or the carbon particles.' In practice, it has been found that if the oil is subjected to a treatment of from five percent to ten percent finely divided gypsum de osited therein, the gypsum will sink to the ttom of the container and carry with it the suspended mechanical impurities, within .twenty four hours when cold, and much quicker if the oil is heated. The process of separation may be greatly facilitated by first treating the oil with about two percent of concentrated sulphuric acid, and allowing it to settle until a residuum is formed and settles out, and then introducing the gypsum. The use of a small amount of acid causes the gypsum to settle in about one fourth the time that is required when no acid is used. If desired to remove all possible trace of the sulphuric acid, the oil may be washed with water or treated with a small amount of sulphate of soda.

After the impurities have been settled out by use of the gypsum treatment, the oil may be drawn from the tank 33 and subjected to a mechanical filtering process, after which it is ready for any use for which it was originally capable of being employed.

The filtering operation is greatly facilitated by raising the temperature o the oil, and for this purpose, the tank 33 is provided with an outlet pipe 34, controlled by a cock 35,

and discharging into a second heating chamber 36, containing a heater element similar to the element 19a of chamber 16. The heating chamber 36 is provided with an outlet pipe 37, discharging into a float chamber 38, in which is located a float 39, controlling a cut-out switch 40. Said switch in turn controls the circuit to an electric motor 41, which operates a pump 42, having its supply pipe connected with the float chamber and its distherefrom into the heating chamber 16, the

speed of flow being controlled by the float valve 15. When the oil in the heating chamber 16 has reached the desired level the cir cuit to the heater element 19'L is closed, the ow of oil to said heating chamber being arrested by the float valve until the thermostatic valve 30 is operated to permit discharge of oil Athrough the opening 29. During the heating eriod the volatile diluents pass upwar ly into the fiue 22. The oil fiows from the heating chamber 16 into the settling chamber 33, and when said chamber has been filled with oil to the desired extent it is subjected to the gypsum treatment above described. By gypsum treatment it is to be understood is meant the employment of a calcareous cement, such as natural cement, gypsum, Portland cement, or similar cements having an aflinity for the suspended carbon particles, either with or without the use of lsulphurlc acid. If desired to use sulphurlc acid, it may be introduced into the oil in tank 10 or chamber 33, as desired. l After the gypsum treatment the cock 35 is opened and the oil is permitted to fiow into the second heating chamber 36, and from thence into the float chamber 38. As soon as said fioat chamber is filled to the desired extent the float will have risen sufciently to close the circuit to the motor 41, by means of the switch 40, and thereupon the oil will be forced by the pump 42 through the filter press in a well understood manner. It is to be understood, of course, that in lieu of employing the filter press, a filter bag may be connected to pipe 37, as illustrated in Figure 3.

After the settling operation, the sludge may be removed from the tank 33 through the outlet 44, or if desired said tank may be provided with a sludge basket 50, as illustrated in Figure 4. Said basket rests upon the bottom of the tank and is provided with handles 51 by means of whichit may be manipulated.

The advantages of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it belongs. For instance, an important advantage is that contaminated oils, such as used crank case'oil for instance, may be so purified in a very short space of time, that it is capable of reuse in any capacity for which it was originally intended.

A very important advantage is that the flow of oil from the initial supply tank to the l matically controlling the operation of the motor of the filter press pump by the volume of flow of oil discharged from. the precipitatingv chamber.

No claim for the above described method is made herein because said method is made the subject of a separate concurrently-filed application, Serial No. 251,417.

- Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described an operative manner of constructing and using the same, although Without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what is claimed is l. An apparatus for reclaiming contaminated oils comprising an oil reservoir, a heating chamber having an inlet connected with said reservoir and also having an outlet, means governed by the oil level in said heating chamber for controlling the flow of oil thereinto, a precipitating chamber connected with the outlet of said heating chamber, and means governed by the temperature of the oil Within said heatin chamber for controlling the outflow there rom.

n apparatus for reclaiming contaminated oils comprising an oil reservoir, a heating chamber having an inlet connected with said reservoir and means governed by the temperature o the oil Within said outlet pipe for controlling the discharge of oiltherefrom, means for automatically feeding oil to said heating chamber in a volume commensurate with the volume of oil discharged therefrom, and a precipitating chamber connected with the outlet of said heating chamber.

3. An apparatus for reclaiming contaminated oils comprising an oil reservoir, a heating chamber having an inlet connected with said reservoir and also having an outlet pipe, means for raising the temperature of the oil in said heating chamber, a thermostatic valve within said pipe and controlling the discharge of oil from said heating chamber, the operation of said valve being governed by the temperature of the chamber, means for automatically feeding oil to said heating chamber in the same proportion as the discharge of oil therefrom, and a precipitating chamber connected with the outlet of said heating chamber.

4. An apparatus for reclaiming contaminated oils comprising an oil reservoir, a heating chamber having an inlet connected with said reservoir and also having an outlet, a heating unit positioned to be submerged in the oil Within said heating chamber, a thermally responsive valve also positioned to be subalso having an outlet pipe,y

oil Within said the discharge of oil fromA tering apparatus and means governed by the volume of flow of oil through said iilterin apparatus for controlling the starting and -stopping of the motor kof said pump.

n apparatus for reclaiming contaminated oils comprising an oil reservoir, a precipitating chamber, means for conducting oil from' said reservoir to said precipitating chamber, means for heating oil as it is discharged from said precipitating chamber, a filter for the heated oil, means connecting said pump with said precipitating chamber and said filter and means governed by the iiow of oil from the heating means for initiating and arresting the operation of said-pump.

An apparatus for reclaiming contaminated oils comprising an oil reservoir, a heating chamber operatively connected to receive oil from said reservoir, means governed by the level of oil in said heating chamber for controlling the flow of oil into said chamber, means governed by the temperature of th'e oil in said heating chamber for controlling the discharge of oil from said chamber, a

precipitating chamber positioned to receive A operated means for forcing oil through said.

filtering apparatus, and means governed by the iiow of oil from said precipitating chamber for initiating and arresting the operation of saidmotor.

8. An apparatus for reclaiming contaminated oils comprising an oil reservoir, a heating chamber operatively connected to receive oil from said reservoir, means governed' by the level of oil in said hea-ting chamber for controlling the flow 'of oil into said chamber, means governed by the temperature ofthe oil in said heating chamber for controlling the discharge of oil from said chamber, a precipitating chamber positioned to receive the oil discharged from said heating chamber, means for heating oil as it is discharged from said precipitating chamber, a float chamber receiving oil from said heating means, a float in said chamber, an lelectrical motor driven pump, a make and break device operated by said float and in circuit With the motor of said pump, and a filter press connected to be supplied with oil from said pump.

9. An apparatus for reclaiming contaminated oils comprising an oil reservoir, a. chamber connected with said reservoir, an outlet tube extending into said chamber, a

5 temperature responsive valve controlling the outflow of oil through said tube, the operation of Said valve being Controlled by the temperature of the oil Within the tube, and a precipitating chamber connected with said outlet tube.

10. An apparatus for reclaiming contaminated oils comprising an oil reservoir, a chamber connected to receive oil from said reservoir, means Within said chamber for rais- '15 ing the temperature of the oil therein, an outlet tube extending into said chamber, a valve controlling the discharge of oil through Said tube, said valve having a temperature responsive element extended into the tube so that the operation of the valve will be governed by the temperature of the oil Within said tube, and a precipitating chamber connected with said outlet tube.

11. An apparatus for reclaiming contaminated oils comprising an oil reservoir, a heating chamber having an outlet pipe, a float chamber interposed between said reservoir and said heat-ing chamber and connecting them, a {ioat valve in said float chamber con- 10 trolling the flow of oil from said reservoir to said heating chamber, means Within the outlet pipe of the heating chamber for regulating the outflow of oil, and a precipitating chamber connected With said outlet pipe. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY H. MORETON. 

